Man held at Mumbai railway station for using ‘fake’ BMC travel pass

According to an FIR Murty lodged at the Andheri railway police station, Shirvadkar produced a travel pass issued to him by the BMC, which identified him as an employee of Rambhia Brothers, a wholesale supplier of rice in Vashi APMC market.

Police said after a countrywide lockdown was imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic in March, the company began to supply rice to the civic body and to facilitate the movement of its employees, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued travel passes permitting them to use local trains.

When quizzed by Murty, however, Shirwadkar could not remember the name of his employer as he had joined the company just three to four days ago, police said.

Murty was not convinced by his answers and reported him to the railway police, which issued a notice to Shirwadkar under the Code of Criminal Procedure and allowed him to leave.

“We will make an inquiry with the BMC and the man’s employer to find out whether his pass is authentic or forged. We have not arrested him,” said Senior Inspector Bharat Chaudhari of Andheri railway police station.

Currently, only essential service providers as approved by the government were allowed to enter station premises and travel by train.